


A Discrete Tactical Plan

by simonxriley



Category: Call of Duty (Video Games)
Genre: Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Grieving
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-10
Updated: 2018-05-29
Packaged: 2019-04-20 23:05:05
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14271480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/simonxriley/pseuds/simonxriley
Summary: It all started with a burst of confidence that changed Merrick's life forever. He never thought he would love someone as much as he loved Liz Walker.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GhostieeBug](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GhostieeBug/gifts).



> A little fic idea that my friend and I were talking about earlier. Also this is pretty short. Hope you enjoy!

Liz walked into the briefing room with Logan. They were of course the last two to arrive. Liz took a seat next to Merrick. He gave her a small smile and she did the same. Once everyone was seated, Elias got up to start the briefing. 

"Is everyone settled?" asked Elias 

He looked around the room while everyone nodded, then proceeded to the briefing. It was another high risk mission with a high chance of failure. Nothing new there. Once Liz knew her dad was occupied enough she decided to have a little fun of her own. Her hand rested on Merrick's thigh. She glanced over to see his reaction, nothing yet. Moving her hand up his thigh to the front of his pants. A small smirk formed on her lips when she heard a gasp come out of him. 

Liz kept her attention to the front where her dad was. While not breaking the contact from under the table. She heard the deep breathing coming from Merrick and it made her even more persistent. Once Liz felt the obvious dent in his pants she unzipped his pants. Merrick looked at her with a flushed face and a sweaty brow. "What are you doing?" whispered Merrick 

"Shh." 

Liz didn't look at him, she just kept her attention towards the front. Merrick almost let out a small moan when her hand took a firm grasp on his very hard cock. But as soon as he crushed it he let out a cough, making everyone turn their attention on him. Even Liz. "Merrick are you alright?" asked Elias 

"Yes sir. Just a small cough. Nothing to worry about." said Merrick 

"Alright." 

"Why is your face red?" asked Logan 

"None of your business kid." snapped Merrick 

Everyone turned their attention back to the front and Liz let out a small chuckle. She began to run her thumb over the tip of his cock. Glancing over again to see him wipe the sweat off his brows. Liz started to move her hand slowly up and down his shaft. She saw Merrick grasp the side of the table so hard his knuckles turned white. She kept up her slow rhythm for another moment until she moved her hand back towards his head. She rubbed his pre-cum over the tip with her thumb, making him gasp some more. 

"Liz?" 

Without turning her head all she said was "Shh." It was driving him mad. Here was one of his team mates and his bosses daughter giving him a hand job during a briefing. Merrick was doing all he could to stay in control over the situation, but the closer he got, the harder it was to maintain. Next thing he knew the briefing was over and everyone was leaving the briefing room. Luckily Liz let go of his cock but stayed seated next to him. Merrick was about to tuck himself back into his pants when he saw Liz get on her knees in front of him. Eyes widening while he watched her take him in her mouth. 

He was thankful everyone had left, how the hell would he explain this to anyone? Merrick hung his head back and let out a moan. He hated this, hated how good she was at this. After another few bobs of her head, he came. Every little drop spilling in her mouth and she swallowed every last bit. Liz stood up and brushed herself off. She looked at a flustered and panting Merrick still seated. A smile forming on her lips. 

Merrick didn't expect her to lean down and kiss him, hell he didn't expect her to do any of what she did. He tasted himself on her tongue. She broke the kiss and started to walk out of the room, her hand grazing his back. Liz leaned over and whispered "My room, after the mission" before fully exiting the room. Merrick tucked himself back in his pants and stood up to leave. A smile gracing his face.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Merrick and Liz finally get what they both want.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter! Hope you enjoy!

Merrick and Liz were waiting at their position for everyone to radio in before attacking the facility. Liz was leaning up against a tree fiddling with her honey badger. She looked to see Merrick on the other side looking ahead for any tangos. Liz walked over and grazed her hand over his shoulders, he shuddered over her touch. She leaned against the tree that was closest to him. With nothing else to do she walked back over to Merrick, pulled down his mask. Before she could do anything Merrick pinned her against a tree. A small smirk was forming on her lips. 

"You're getting off on this, aren't you?" asked Merrick 

"Maybe. But I can hide it, you can't." 

Liz's hand covered the dent in his pants and gave it a little squeeze. Merrick let out a very audible moan, that even startled himself. Liz just shot him a suggestive look. Merrick let go of her only to crush their lips together. Her hand came up to cup his cheek, as did his. Liz's thumb grazed over his coarse beard that she wouldn't mind between her legs. Something about him, just turned her on. There was only one goal in mind and that was to make him hers. 

Merrick deepened the kiss, his hand slide down her back to take a firm grasp of her ass. A small gasp left her when he did, which only made him smirk into the kiss. Her free hand worked the front of his pants. Until Merrick pushed away. "Awe we were just getting started." teased Liz 

"We're on a mission." 

"And?" Liz walked over to him and cupped his cheek in her hand. "They're taking forever. No harm in having some fun of our own. Plus it'll be quite hot starting the mission knowing minutes beforehand you were inside me." 

Merrick swallowed and crushed their lips together once more. Seconds later he pulled away and spun Liz around. Liz dropped her honey badger and undid her pants, while pulling them down she heard Merrick do the same. She felt his hand grasp her hips, seconds later he was at her entrance. He slowly started to move in when....."We're ready at entrance A." said Keegan 

Merrick let out an annoyed sigh and said "Copy. Rendezvous at the front." 

He pulled out and tucked himself back in his pants. Waiting for Liz to do the same. Once she redressed herself, she picked up her honey badger and said. "You know, I might be permanently turned on knowing you'll be going through the whole mission with a hard on." Liz gave him a chaste kiss and started moving forward to the rendezvous sight. Merrick looked down at his very obvious bulge in his pants and let out a whine before following Liz. 

xXx

They've been back for a few hours now. Merrick kept his distance from her the whole mission, even when they were in the bed of the truck heading back to base. Liz just got out of the shower and was slowly changing into a pair of clothes. She quickly glanced over her shoulder when she heard the door open. Settling instantly when she saw it was Merrick. She didn't even try to cover up. Merrick shut and locked the door before turning around to see and almost fully exposed Liz in front of him. 

"Glad to see you made it." teased Liz 

Merrick laughed and walked over to Liz and kissed her. His hands ran up and down her exposed back. While hers worked their way under his shirt. She could feel his taunt abs beneath her fingers, along with some hair. Liz broke the kiss to fully take off his shirt, discarding it behind her. Her hands ran up and down his torso, feeling the indents of the scars he bared. Liz leaned down to kiss a scar that was near the band of his pants and moved her way up. Kissing every scar until she was back up to his lips. 

She gave him a quick kiss, then took his hand and led him to her bed. Liz thought about all the times she touched herself thinking of the man that was now in her bed. She was now thankful for the sudden burst of confidence. Merrick kissed down from her collarbone to her chest. He took a breast in his hand and started kneading it. A low moan leaving Liz. A small smirk shown on his face before he took her nipple in his mouth. Liz tilted her head back and moaned a little louder. He started to kiss his way down her body until he came to her underwear. He gave Liz a suggestive look and pulled them off. 

Spreading her legs and placing his head right between them. He started to suck and lick at her clit. She clutched the sheets and ground her hips, moaning his name. Liz's breath started to get heavy, she was close. Soon after she came. Her whole body a trembling mess. Merrick held down her hips while she rode it out, but not stopping what he was doing. Once she was calmed down enough that's when he stopped. Merrick started kissing his way up her body all the way to her lips. Her hands ran up and down his sides, realizing he took off his pants. 

He broke the kiss and looked down at her. Liz was expecting to see lust in his eyes, not love. A small moan left her when he started to slowly enter her. Once he was filled to the base, he almost fully pulls out and then slams back into her. She kept the same rhythm, meeting each thrust. The bed creaked and the frame kept hitting the wall, neither of them cared though. Then an audible whine left Liz when he pulled out. Not saying anything he motioned for her to turn around. 

Liz got on her hands and knees and seconds later Merrick was inside her. He kept his rhythm for a while, then started to pound into her a little bit harder. Liz muffled her moans with a pillow. Liz brought her hand up between her legs and start rubbing circles around her still over sensitive clit. Merrick was getting close and he started to lose control when he felt Liz's walls start to pulsate around him. A few more hard thrusts and he spills inside her, moaning her name. 

Once he pulls out they both collapse on the bed. Liz looks up at the ceiling a satisfied smile gracing her face. She felt Merrick gently brush his hand over her arm and turned to look at him. He looked content and happy but he hasn't said a word since he came in. Merrick looked at Liz with loving eyes. It made her already racing heart, race even more. It was silent between them, not awkward, just to many unspoken things. 

"I want you Liz. I have since the day I met you." said Merrick 

"I want you to Tom." 

His already soften look soften some more when she said his name. Not Merrick but Tom. He gave her a few tame kisses before covering both of them with the blanket. Liz shut off the light and got comfortable under the blankets. She felt Merrick wrap his arm around her waist and pull her closer to him. They didn't say anything, it didn't need to be said. It was a mutual feeling and they both silently agreed to it. Liz smiled to herself, her plan was to make Merrick hers and she succeeded. 

xXx

The next morning Merrick walked into the break room to grab some coffee. He nodded to Keegan who was sipping his. Merrick poured his own cup and sat down. Then seconds later Keegan sat down opposite of him. Merrick was still on cloud 9, he woke up next to Liz after thinking last night was a dream. And he was very happy it wasn't. They verbally made it official that morning. 

Merrick never thought he would end up falling for anyone, let alone his bosses daughter. He was too lost in thought that he forgot Keegan was right in front of him. He snapped himself out of it and glanced at Keegan who had a mischievous look on his face. 

"What?" asked Merrick 

"How last night with Liz go? By the sounds of it you two had quite an eventful night." 

Merrick's eyes widened and his face started to flush. If Keegan knew, then who else did. He watched Keegan get up and leave. Before he fully exited the break room he turned his attention back to Merrick. 

"Don't worry. You're secret's safe with me."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This was only suppose to be a two chapter fic, but after re-reading this I needed more Liz and Merrick in my life. And since it'll be a while until they reunite in WAWG I decided to add a few more chapters to this. I'll also be changing the summary soon. Hope you enjoy!

Liz was looking around her room for her gun case with her pistol in it. She looked everywhere in her small room. From under the bed to the drawers in her dresser. She didn't understand how she misplaced it. She sighed and sat down on the bed just in time to see her door open and Merrick walk in. 

It's only been a few hours since they woke up in each others arms after their coupling. She was still very happy about her sudden burst of confidence before the mission, even though it did almost make both of them late and that wasn't entirely professional. 

Merrick sat down next to her and groaned, making Liz raise a brow at him. "Is everything okay?" 

"Keegan knows about us. Apparently we were a little loud last night." said Merrick, his face conveying a bunch of emotions but Liz could spot the worry the most.

"Eh, it's just Keegan. What is he gonna do? Run and tell my dad?" Liz laughed at the though of a 30 something year old man running to tell his commanding officer, that his daughter just slept with their field commander. It was quite comical to her. 

"You don't seem worried?" 

"I'm not. My dad is well aware I'm a responsible adult and wouldn't care that we're together." Her eyes lit up when she realized why he was so afraid that Keegan would tell her dad.

"You're nervous that my dad won't approve of us? Aren't you?" 

"That thought has crossed my mind, that's why I never made a move. But I'm exceptionally happy you did. We've known each other for years and I didn't think he would be too pleased that I fell for his daughter." 

Liz grabbed one of his hands and gave it a little squeeze. "Trust me when I say, he's not gonna care. He'll be more ecstatic that I've found someone to be with. Even if it's with someone he's known for a little over two decades." 

"So I really shouldn't worry?" 

Liz shook her head and laughed. "No. You're cute when you're worried though." 

She leaned up and gave him a firm kiss and then pulled away. When she did she could see the reddish tint on his cheeks. She never knew Merrick could get embarrassed. 

"Okay." He laughed at the other part and wrapped his arm around her. 

Liz rested her head against his chest and sighed in content. He could smell a mix of coconut and gun powder that seemed to be etched into her skin. It was intoxicating to him. He placed a set of his fingers below her chin and gently lifted her head up, then placed a firm, yet gentle kiss to her lips. 

He pulled away and gazed into her brown toffee like eyes. He never loved someone so much before, hell he wasn't even sure if he was capable of it. All it took was meeting Liz in the middle of a dreaded wasteland. And thinking she was the most beautiful person he's ever seen to change that. 

Liz leaned back up and kissed him again. Only this time she pushed him down and straddled him. It didn't take long for him to switch their positions as she landed with soft grunt and smiled up at him. 

"I'm gonna make this the best you've ever had." 

Merrick gave her a passionate kiss and that's exactly what he did. 

xXx

They were both snuggled up to each other underneath the blanket after their coupling. Not bothering to put back on their clothes. Merrick was right about one thing, that was the best she's ever had. She never knew he could be so passionate, then again she only met him a week or so ago and he was still a mystery to her. 

Her head was resting on his chest, hearing the faint thudding of his heart beat in his chest. His hand was playing with her hair, it was as soft as cotton and one of the best things he's ever felt. The room was quiet and he thought she might have fallen asleep. When he tried to angle his head to see if she was, her door flung open and in walked Hesh. 

Merrick found out she wasn't asleep when she quickly tried to cover herself up. That's when Hesh spotted both of them in bed together and Liz trying to fully cover herself up. His mouth fell open and he glanced between the both of them. Liz made a whining noise, that Merrick thought was the cutest sound he'd ever heard. 

"Don't you know how to knock?" snapped Liz 

Hesh finally collected himself and said "I'm sorry. But you could've put a sock on the door. Anyways I'll get to my question and leave you two lovebirds alone. Do you where my cleaning kit went? I can't find it anywhere." 

"I haven't seen it. I would check Logan's room though, I bet my money he has it." 

Hesh groaned. "Of course he probably does, why didn't I think to go there first. Thanks, I'll leave you guys alone now."

Hesh left after that and Liz groaned and covered her face with her hands after he shut the door behind him. That seemed to make Merrick laugh. He looked over at her with nothing but love in his eyes. 

"At least he didn't catch us in the act. So don't worry about it hon." said Merrick

She moved her hands away from her face and nodded. He did have a point, it would've been a lot more horrifying if Hesh came in earlier. She leaned over and gave him a quick kiss before she got off the bed. She gathered up Merrick's clothes and tossed them to him. Then picked up her own and started to put them back on. 

Once they were both fully dressed again, Liz grabbed Merrick by the hand and pulled him off the bed. "I need to find my pistol before we head to the Vegas safe house tomorrow and I need your help." 

"Okay. Where should we start?" asked Merrick as he was pulled towards the door. 

"The same place where Hesh's cleaning kit probably is."

xXx

Liz was right, her pistol and Hesh's cleaning kit were being held hostage by Logan. Luckily she wasn't entirely mad, since he decided to help her out and clean it for her. So that was one less thing she had to do. 

With Keegan and Hesh already knowing about her and Merrick they decided to tell everyone else. Logan was in denial for a while and then accepted it, Kick joked that Merrick had no game and was surprised a beautiful girl like her would want to date a scrooge. 

Now it was Elias's turn and Liz could sense the nervousness coming from Merrick. Liz chuckled and knocked on her dad's office door. They waited a few second before they were told to come in. Elias smiled when he saw Liz walk in and then confusion set on his face when he saw Merrick follow her in. 

"Is everything alright?" asked Elias 

"Yeah, everything is fine. We just needed to talk to you about something." said Liz 

Elias motioned for them to take a seat and they obliged. Liz shook her head slightly when she noticed Merrick was still nervous as a chihuahua. 

"Okay. I'm all ears." 

Liz took a deep breath. Not for herself, she just wanted to make Merrick suffer a tiny bit longer. "Merrick and I are together." 

She glanced over at Merrick to see he was doing him dam nest to stay together. It made her fall for him more. No one she's dated before had ever been this nervous when her dad found out about them. It showed he really cared. 

"Oh about time. I'm surprised you even made the move Tom." said Elias 

Liz and Merrick glanced between each other and gave Elias a confused look.

"Wait you knew...about our feelings for each other?" asked Liz 

"It wasn't hard to figure out. Between the glances and how over protective Merrick got with you. Or how nervous he got when you were around. I was just waiting for you to tell me you guys were together." 

"It probably was pretty easy to spot." said Liz 

"I didn't make the first move sir, Liz did.....I was to scared too." said Merrick. He chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. 

Elias looked over at Liz with a shocked look on his face. "Really?" 

"Yeah, I did. It was just a sudden burst of confidence I got and I went through with it." 

"Well I'm happy you did Liz. You deserve someone." He gave her a warm fatherly smile and then turned his attention to Merrick. "You said you were scared? Why?" 

"I didn't know how you would feel about it. She's not just some woman who's apart of this team, she's your daughter. And we've known each other for a little over two decades now." 

"So you thought I wouldn't approve because of how long we've known each other?" 

"Yes and the fact she's your daughter." said Merrick 

"It doesn't matter how long we've known each other. I can tell you truly care for her and that's enough for me." 

Merrick nodded and glanced over at Liz. A smile slowly forming on his lips. 

"Whew. That's over with, now everyone knows." said Liz with a laugh. 

"That's a relief." Joked Merrick 

"We'll let you get back to your paperwork now. We just thought you should know before someone else tells you." said Liz 

"Alright and I'm glad you did. Now you two go have some fun before we have to get back to work." 

Liz and Merrick laughed as they both stood up. Then headed out the door. 

xXx

There wasn't much to do on the base, so they spend most of their time outside walking around hand in hand. Talking about their pasts and getting to know each other a lot more. Liz talked about her childhood and growing up in San Diego with her brother, while Merrick talked about his time in the Navy. 

Their conversations went on for hours and next thing they heard was the dinner bell. When the Ghosts sat down to eat, it was pretty much the same. Only now they were all talking about how they found out Liz and Merrick were together. Both Liz and Merrick groaned when Hesh said he accidentally walked in on them laid up in bed. 

Luckily Keegan only said he saw them kiss, instead of hearing them having sex the night before. Then the million dollar question was left. And neither Liz nor Merrick wanted to answer. 

"So Liz. Since you were the one to make the move, how'd you do it?" asked Kick 

"That's for me and Merrick to know and for you to never find out." said Liz 

"Aw, come on." said the whole table in unison 

Liz shook her head and went back to eating as the rest of the table begged her to tell. That would be something she would take to her grave. If she did tell them, she would get some very entertaining looks from everyone. But she best not, and she doesn't want her dad knowing about that......yet. 

Everyone quieted down after a minute or so of squabbling and went back to eating. After everyone finished, they went their separate ways. It was going to be an early day tomorrow so Elias advised everyone get some shut eye before they head out. 

They all went to their respectable rooms besides Merrick. Who brought everything he would need for Vegas into Liz's room. He didn't want to spend nights alone anymore and Liz seemed perfectly happy sharing her bed with him. 

Merrick sat on the edge of her bed in just his boxer as he watched her as she checked to see if she had everything ready for tomorrow. She could feel his eyes on her and tried to hide the smile that was slowly forming on her lips. Once she was done she turned to him. 

Liz laughed and walked over to him. He quickly grabbed her hand and pulled her in so he could hug her. His head rested gently on her chest and his arms wrapped around her waist in a tight yet gently grasp. Like he didn't want to let go of her, she kissed the top of his head and held onto him a little tighter. 

"We should probably get to bed." said Liz 

Merrick looked up with sad eyes and pouted his lips. "I don't wanna let go." 

"You can still hold onto me while we're laying down." She chuckled and leaned down to place a firm kiss on his lips. That seemed to be the right push he needed cause once she pulled away, he smiled and let go of her. 

As quickly as he could he got under the covers and motioned for Liz to join him. She laughed at how eager he was to have her back in his arms. Then she slide in bed next to him. Before she was entangled in his arms again, she turned the bed side lamp off. Then settled back into his arms. Merrick wrapped her in a firm grasp and sighed in content. She rested her head against his chest and ran her hand over one of his scars. 

"You're very lovey dovey tonight." Liz tilted her head up so she could look at him, even in the dark. 

"Well I have a lot of love to give and you're the only one I want to give it too." He smiled down at her and then kissed her again. 

"I wouldn't want it any other way. And we probably should get to sleep, it'll be time to go before we know it." said Liz 

Merrick nodded. They both got comfortable in each others arms and fell into a dreamless sleep. 

xXx

Morning came faster than both of them expected or even wanted. And could you even call it morning when the sun hasn't even risen yet? Liz was lacing up her boots while Merrick gathered their stuff. Once she was done, she grabbed a few of the littler bags and they headed for the chopper. 

Elias, Logan and Hesh were already loading their stuff onto it. Unfortunately for Keegan he had to give the big boss a debrief in person and was being sent to Colorado and would rendezvous with them at the safe house. 

Liz dropped her bags on the ground near the chopper and sighed. "Why do we have to leave so early?" asked Liz 

"We have a 5 hour chopper ride and want to get there early. You can sleep in the chopper if you want?" asked Elias 

"I'll use Tom as a pillow." said Liz 

Elias and Merrick both laughed and loaded up their stuff into the chopper. Once everything was secured they all got in. Elias took a seat at the end, while Liz took up the middle and Merrick to her right. Logan and Hesh sat on the opposite side. 

Liz linked her arm with Merrick's and leaned against his arm. Elias looked over and gave them a warm fatherly smile. He knew they would be good for each other and couldn't wait to see what the future holds for them. He motioned to the pilot they were ready to go.

Merrick intertwined their hands together and whispered "I love you." 

"I love you too." She lifted her head and gave him a passionate kiss. Not caring that her family was there with her. 

In a world full of destruction and chaos, Merrick never even dreamed he would end up with somebody as amazing as Liz was. As long as she was by his side, life seemed perfect.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I wasn't expecting this to come out so quickly, but it did. And sorry it's kinda long but I hope you enjoyed this little story!

Keegan gently nudge Merrick back to reality when Elias took the podium. He let out a breath and looked down at the dog tags in his hands, then back up to his commanding officer and waited for him to speak. He could see Elias was trying to keep himself together, as was he. He glanced around to see all the mourning people around him. He then snapped his attention back to Elias when he heard him clear his throat. 

"No parent should ever have to bury their child." He placed a hand on the coffin next to him and let out a shaky breath before he continued. "You try your best to protect them from the evils of the world and when you can't, you feel like you've failed. But that's not true, are job as a parent is to love are kids. Not try to shield them from the evils of the world." 

Merrick held tight to the dog tags in his hands as his throat got tighter listening to Elias speak. It felt like his heart had been rip from his chest and thrown to the ground. He's lost people before, people he loved. And went on about his business like nothing happened. But he never loved someone as much as he loved her. She didn't deserve to have her life get cut short. He closed his eyes and let out a breath, still listen to Elias speak. 

"Liz made the best out of every situation she faced. She never wanted this life and who can blame her? She wanted to go to college and have a career in astrophyics. When the war started and that dream shattered for her, she came to me one day and said. 'Dad I want to join the army like Logan and Hesh. I want to know how to fight so you, Logan and Hesh won't have to worry about me.' She never liked people worrying about her, thinking there were much more important matter to worry about than herself. She was the most selfless person I knew, thinking of others before herself. It showed through her love. When she joined I was amazed on how quickly and easily she picked things up. Before I knew it she was the youngest person in the Rangers. She was more than an amazing soldier though, she was our friend, a sister, a girlfriend and most importantly, my daughter. And I'm proud of the women she grew up to become. If there's one thing we should take from her is, to make the best out of every situation. Cause that's what she did. To live our lives to the fullest since we never know when are last day will be." 

Merrick opened his eyes when he heard the clapping around him. He watched him as he stopped in front of her coffin, lean down and gave his little girl one last kiss goodbye. Then he took his seat next to Hesh. He couldn't even imagine what Elias was going through. It's one thing to lose a girlfriend you love unconditionally, but your own child is something completely different. He snapped his attention back to the podium when he heard Hesh start to make his speech. 

"Elias was right about Liz being selfless. When we were younger and he would work until very late at night, every time Liz would have a nightmare she would come into my room instead of going to dads. She told it was because he needed his sleep and that I was the second person she trusted the most. Liz wasn't just selfless, she was also observant and picked up on emotional cues very quickly. I can't even begin to count how many times I was either upset or angry. But Liz was always there next to me, she didn't always say anything. Sometimes there isn't really anything to say. When there was, she knew exactly what to say to make any situation a little bit better. Liz was granted many talents, some that I wish I even had." 

Hesh took a deep breath and glanced at the coffin. He knew this wasn't fair, Liz had a full life ahead of her and God or whoever cut it short. It made him angry, if Rorke never attacked the safe house she would be alive right now. He finally let out the breath he was holding in and continued on. 

"I don't want to make it sound like Liz was an angel all the time, cause she wasn't. Like all siblings we fought, sometimes verbally and other times dad would have to break us up before we either killed each other or broke something in the house. And speaking of breaking things in the house, when Liz was about 7 years old she accidentally broke something expensive. When dad came in after he heard glass shatter, he asked what happened. I thought Liz would tell him the truth that it was an accident, I was wrong. She looked up at him with those big brown puppy dog eyes of hers and said 'David did it.' I, of course got in trouble. A lot of trouble. It was a few hours later and we were all sitting at the table for dinner. That's when Liz came clean, she told dad that it was her fault it broke and that David shouldn't have to take the blame. There are times were I wish for those days back, now I just wish for my baby sis to come back. I know that won't happen. I never really had a plan for the future besides joining the army, now I do. I'm determined to live until I'm old and gray cause Liz never got to." 

Hesh walked away from the podium and stopped by the coffin before taking his seat. He rested his hand on top and whispered "Rest easy sis" Then took his seat between Elias and Logan. Merrick glanced up when he saw movement next to him. It was Logan's turn to give his speech. Poor kid looked like a disaster and who could blame him. Logan seemed to be the only other one, besides Liz who couldn't really hide their emotions. 

Logan took the podium and let out a deep breath. Merrick could see his eyes dart at the coffin and then back to the microphone. Actual funerals never really happened anymore. But Elias pulled every string he could to make sure his daughter got a proper burial. Merrick's eyes darted back down to her dog tags that were still in his hands. He wanted to go back to that day, the day of the briefing before they went and attacked one of the Federations facility's. 

He can still feel Liz's hand gingerly move up his thigh and to the front of his pants. He never imagined she would do something as bold as that, especially with her family in the room. But she did, and he couldn't be happier. He missed her teasing like she did on the mission and how they almost had sex in enemy territory, only to have Keegan radio in and ruin it for him. 

He even wanted to go back to the evening after the mission. How he paced back and forth in his room, cause he didn't know what to do. She already gave him one fantastic blow job and they almost went all the way. Now that they were back and it was night, they wouldn't have any disruptions and that kinda scared him. Finally he gathered his courage and went to her room. And that had been the best night of his life. He smiled down at the tags in his hand and then looked up to see Logan about to speak. 

"Like almost every pair of siblings, Liz and I were close. So close that dad always joked that we were twins instead of having a 2 year age difference. We would do everything together, from watching cartoons to sword fighting in the backyard. And we even got in trouble together. One time it was late at night and dad was still working. Hesh was left in charge and spent his time hogging up the tv. I decided to spend my time in my room and Liz was in hers. A few minutes later Liz comes barging in with her coloring stuff and plops herself down on my beanbag chair without saying a word. It took me a while to realize that she just wanted to be near me. I was happy that dad made me, Hesh and Liz a team after we all joined up. We worked better together anyways. I've spent my whole life with Liz, I've watched her succeed, fall, but most importantly I've watched her fall in love. And to a big brother, that's exciting and terrifying. I still remember the look on her face when she fell for Merrick. Dad and the rest of the Ghost just rescued us and Hesh, being Hesh started a fight. When Merrick put Hesh in his place, trust me that's not an easy feat I've tried. The look of pure love was the only thing showing on her face. I didn't think much of it at the time until she actually told me they were together." 

Merrick's eyes started to tear up as he listened to Logan. He never knew that, that Liz fell for him that day. He felt stupid for not acting up on his feeling sooner, then she would've been in his arms longer. Liz was the one he wanted to spend his life with. Buy a house in the suburbs of some city and raise a few kids. Now that dream went up in flames thanks to Rorke. He wiped the tears away and shook the thought from his head and went back to listening to Logan. 

"Liz dated before and I was always skeptical of each guy she dated. I was afraid of her getting hurt and if she did I wasn't afraid of kicking the guys ass. Not Merrick, I knew he wouldn't hurt her. It showed through his actions and the fact that his eyes were filled with love every time he saw her. Out of every guy she could pick to spend her life with and I'm glad she picked Merrick. No one will ever replace my baby sis, but she's at peace now and I plan on living everyday in her honor." 

Merrick watched Logan walk over to the coffin, lean down and give his baby sis one last kiss goodbye. He could see him say something before he walked back to his seat, but couldn't decipher it. Now it was his turn and he didn't know if he could do it. He wasn't ready to say goodbye. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, then he felt a hand on his arm. He opened his eyes and saw it belonged to Logan. He gave him a reassuring smile and that seemed to be the right push Merrick needed. 

He got up from his seat and headed over to the podium. He looked out over the 50 or so people there. All the people who came in contact with Liz through her time in the military. He sighed and glanced at the coffin and then to the tags. And then finally began to speak. 

"I didn't know Liz as long as a lot of you did and I wish I got to. Logan was right about one thing, I did love her. Still do and will till the day that I die. My feelings for her started the day I laid eyes on her and I regret not acting on them sooner. But the few days we were together were the best days of my life. Liz loved with her whole heart and I'm incredibly grateful that I recieved some of that love. Being in the miltary as long as I have, you start to lose hope that you'll never meet someone to spend the rest of your life with. I gave up hope years ago, then Liz came into my life and changed that. I would've married her in a heart beat if Elias said it was okay. Like every human, we make mistakes and have regrets. When I found out that Rorke, former Ghost commanding officer now turn Federation commander was hunting us. The regret of leaving him that day sunk back in. He wasn't a bad guy and didn't truly deserve what we did to him. And because of what we did to him is the reason Liz isn't alive today. I wish I could go back to that day and change the outcome. If we did things differently Rorke would still be with the Ghosts and so would Liz. She died for our sins and that's not fair. I plan to make this right so her death will not be in vain. I will stop Rorke, even if it means to lay down my own life." 

Merrick backed away from the podium and over to the coffin. He ran his hand over the smooth burgundy wood and let out a sigh. He leaned down and whispered, "I love you and I'm sorry." then kissed his beloved Liz one last time. He took his seat between Logan and Keegan and listened to the rest who had anything to say. Next thing he knew the funeral was over and everyone was starting to mingle with one another. 

He stayed seated and stared at the coffin that would soon be buried. It felt like a piece of him died with her and now there was a hole in his heart that would never be filled. Deep down he even wished he died with her, and that he didn't have to go on with the hurt. But he knows Liz would want him to go on and live his life as best he could. He didn't want to though, not without Liz and the only reason he hasn't joined her is because Rorke is still alive. 

xXXXXXXx

The sun was setting and Merrick was sitting over her grave picking at the grass near him. They were set to leave to the U.S.S Liberator in the morning. There was so much he wanted to say and do with and he never got the chance. He laid his hand over the newly place dirt and sighed. 

"I miss you....so much." He closed his eyes and let the tears fall down his cheeks. After a moment he opened them and let out a shaky breath. 

They would soon be on their way down to the heart of Federation territory to hopefully end this war. Merrick only had one plan and that was to make Rorke pay. He didn't know when or how, but Rorke will die by his hands. He would leave with the Ghosts in the morning and doesn't plan on coming back. 

4 Days Ago......

They were making their rounds through the rooms to make sure all the security was working. Luckily for them, it was. After an hour or so they made it through all the rooms and were heading into the main room for a quick debrief before they got some sleep. Liz was fiddling with the honey badger in her hand while she listened to her dad speak. 

"We still have 6 hours before Keegan get's back. Now JSOCS wants us to move fast on this so load up before you get any shut eye." 

Merrick started to back away from the group when he felt a shift in the atmosphere. "Does something feel off to you?" 

After he said that Riley started barking and Elias and Hesh ran over to the security monitor. Logan ran over to the ledge to see if he could see anything and Liz gave Merrick a worried look. Before anyone could say anything, the sound of a grenade launcher filled the room. Along with a few gas grenades. Liz tried to run, but the gas acted to quickly and she fainted to the ground. 

She woke up briefly when she was being dragged. In front she could see her brothers being dragged also. But there was no signs of her dad or Merrick. Then she passed out again. When she finally came to, she heard a voice and then felt someone grab her by the hair. Then she saw him. 

"Good, you're awake." He roughly shoved her head and then walked over to Elias "Nice to have the family back together, isn't it? Now where's are quiet friend?" 

Liz struggled against the ropes for a few seconds until she felt something sharp on the chair she was in. She slowly started to cut through the ropes while Rorke was talking to her dad. 

"You know I'm not telling you a damn thing." said Elias. Liz smirked when she heard him say that, but that quickly faltered when she saw Rorke go for his hand gun. 

"No, well let me see if I can change your mind." He pulled his gun out and quickly pointed it at Liz and pulled the trigger. A searing pain hit her shoulder and she groaned in pain. She could hear her brothers yelling while she tried to keep herself calm. Then she heard her dad call her name and she looked over at him. 

"Liz, look at me. Look at me, sweetheart." 

She saw the worry on his face and then Rorke walk behind him. "That's right, you look at him. Funny thing about your old man, he let's his men die to save his own ass." 

Her strength started to come back a little, but she stopped working on getting loose since she was more worried about what was going to happen between her dad and Rorke. 

"Dammit Rorke. This is between you and me, leave my kids out of it." 

Liz's heart started to race in her chest, she hated this. Hated being a hostage and just wanted to get out in one piece. She watched Rorke pace a little in front of Elias and then glanced over at her. 

"You're talking to a superior lieutenant. Show some discipline." 

"You were never one of us. You're not a Ghost." said Elias 

Rorke scoffed and looked at Liz for a brief second, then turned back to Elias. "That's cause I'm better than you." He made a fist and punch Elias in the face. That's when Liz went back to cutting the restraints, finally she was free. Now she was waiting for the best opportunity to grab his gun. "I've always been better than you." 

When Rorke turned his back to her that's when she went for his gun. She quickly grabbed it only to have Rorke spin around and grab her by the arm. "There's still a little life in her." 

Liz tried as hard as she could to get the gun away from him. But he was too strong. He ripped the gun from her hands and hit her over the head with it. She landed with a loud thud and felt some blood drip down her temple. She rolled over onto her back and looked up at him. That's when fear really sunk into her bones. She watched as he crouched down next to her and held the gun to her head. 

"You would've been one hell of a Ghost. But that's not gonna happen, I need them to cooperate and you're in the way." She took in a deep breath and closed her eyes. She could hear her family yelling and pleading in the background. Then, just silence. 

That's what Merrick was told on the chopper back to the ship. He wished he could've been there to save her, or at least try. Instead of being stuck in a room full of Feds. The only thing that made it a little bit easier to deal with her death, was that she died quickly and painlessly. The rest of that day was a blur. All he can remember was Keegan coming and helping save them. He knew there was a bunch of fighting and eventually they were rescued. 

They went back for her body a day and a half later. During that time Elias was planing her funeral. He let go of the handful of dirt and looked up at the star filled sky. He started to look for the brightest and when he found it, he smiled. He liked to think the brightest one was Liz. So every night he could sleep he could find it and think of her. Eventually it got pretty late and he should probably head to his room. He stood up and walked over to her gravestone and gave Liz one last kiss goodnight. 

xXXXXXXx

It was the middle of the night and Merrick couldn't sleep. He groaned and rubbed his eyes before he fully opened them. He thought he saw a figure at the bottom of the bed and blinked his eyes a few times to make sure. When his eyes finally adjusted to the darkness, he was indeed right about seeing a figure at the bottom of the bed. 

"Liz?" 

"Hi, handsome." 

Merrick sat up as quickly as human possible and moved down next to her. He wasn't sure if he was dreaming or not and truthfully, he didn't care. He was just happy to see her. He reached out to see if he could touch her and he could. When he found out he could, he didn't hesitate to hug her. It made Liz laugh and that was music to his ears. 

"How are you? But you..." 

Liz pushed away slightly to get a better look at him. "I am. I only have a little time to stay." She gave him an apologetic smile and then held his hands in hers. 

"This is goodbye? Isn't it?" His eyes started to glisten. He didn't want to say goodbye. But if Liz found a way to come back, even for a little bit. It was better than not seeing her at all. 

"Yes and no. We'll see each other again and live that life you wanted for us." Liz smiled up at him and then laughed at his confused state. 

"How do you know about that? Wait you were there, weren't you? I wish we got the chance to be married and have a family............God I love you Liz, please come back." He sobbed the words out and started to cry. 

Liz quickly brought him into a hug and tried to calm him down. "I love you too, I will always love you. But I can't come back. I can't tell you a lot about the future, so all I'll say is, we won't be apart long. We will be together very soon." 

Merrick stopped his sobbing and looked up at her. "You know the future?" He wiped the tears away and pulled her into a hug. He wanted her in his arms one last time. 

"Some. Bits and parts." Liz closed her eyes and tried to hold back her own tears. She needed to say goodbye and now it was proving to be difficult since her time was running out. She wiggled out of his grasp and looked up at him. "I'm sorry, but my time is running out." 

She could see the despair in his eyes and the tears start to form again. "No, please don't go." 

She smiled and placed her hand over his heart. "I have too. I'll always be with you Tom, wherever you are. Just know that I love you very much and I'll be waiting on the other side for you." 

"I love you too." 

Liz leaned over and placed a firm yet gentle kiss on his lips. Merrick didn't want it to end, so he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. Then he felt her fade away, and he was left alone again. He quickly got off the bed to look out the window and find that bright star. When he did, he smiled through the tears. He may not believe in angels, but he believes in Liz. 

xXXXXXXx

The last thing Merrick remembered was being in the middle of a battle. At least he's sure of it. Now he wasn't, he was somewhere else. It was quiet......and peaceful, not like how a battle is. And he was alone, or was he? He felt a presence behind him and turned around to see who it was. His heart skipped a beat and a big smile formed on his lips. 

Without hesitation Liz jumped into his arms with an equally as big smile and he twirled her around. He hasn't felt this happy since the day before they left for the Vegas safe house. He gently put her down and gave her about a dozen or so kisses that made her giggle. 

"I told you we wouldn't be apart for very long." She grabbed his hand and looked up into those hazel eyes she missed so much. 

"Wait..am I?......Is this?" He gestured vaguely around him as he tried to wrap his head around this. 

"Yes you are. You died in battle, bullet through the heart. And yes, this is heaven, well the entrance to it. Our heaven is beyond that gate." She pointed to gate in the distance and smiled. 

"I knew I was in a battle. What do you mean our heaven?" He glanced from the gate that looked like nothing was behind it and then back to Liz. He had so many question to ask her, he guess it would be best to get the bigger ones out of the way first. 

"Heaven is like another life, but with some perks. We make it how we want, and you wanted us to have a house in the suburbs of some city and raise a few kids. We can do that now, without worrying about anything. There's no sickness, disease or even death. We'll live happily ever after for all eternity." 

He smiled down at her after she told him that. He wasn't sure how heaven would be or if it even existed. He was happy about the heaven he was put into and he was even more happy that he and Liz could be together forever. He grabbed her hand and pulled her in for another hug. 

"God I've missed you so much." He kissed the top of her head and gently swayed her back and forth. 

"I've missed you too. I was watching over you, like I said I would. I know how badly my death hurt you. But that pain should be gone now." She placed her hand over his heart and gently smiled at him. 

He placed his hand over hers and nodded. "It is, I haven't been this at peace in almost 3 months. And can we head home? I'd like to see our heaven and maybe start on that family?" 

Liz laughed when he gave her suggestive look. And then grabbed his hand and led him to the gate. When he walked in, he couldn't believe his eyes. It was a whole city, filled with people, animals, cars, planes, everything you would see if you were alive. Then a few tears started to form in his eyes when he realized the city was Sacramento, his hometown. 

"You like it?" She let go of his hand to wrap her arm around his waist. 

"Like it? I love it Liz. It's perfect." He leaned down and gave her one hell of a passionate kiss and then looked back over their home. "Which house is ours?" 

"The one straight ahead and I'm glad you love it. I figured we would've lived in Sacramento once the war was over and I was alive or we were alive." She chuckled to herself. It's only been 3-ish months since she died and she still gets confused about it. 

"Can we go see it? And then can you tell me everything, after we have a little fun of our own that is." He shuffled from foot to foot like an excited child in a candy store. He just wanted to make love to her for hours. 

"Like you have to ask. I can give you a house tour, then we can catch up. 3 months has been a long enough time without you. Now we're together, forever." 

"I wouldn't want it any other way." He leaned down and kissed her once more before taking her hand in his. 

They walked hand in hand down the street to the start of their new lives together. Merrick never remembered smiling so much in his life, or was as happy as he is now. The dream he thought ended when Liz died was only postponed. He would get to spend an eternity with the person he loves the most and even have family. Love might have nearly killed him, but it also saved him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't sure about the ending part, I just could leave it without them being reunited in the end!


End file.
